_NOTE.--In a leading Western Canadian newspaper we read: "It is
not commonly known that at one time the Hudson's Bay Company owned
a million acres of land in California surrounding the present site
of the City of San Francisco. The importance of the great harbour
now known as the Golden Gate was not recognized and the area was
sold for one dollar an acre."_
When in 1824, shortly after the amalgamation of H.B.C. with the
Northwest Company, the fur brigades under Sir George Simpson swept to
the verge of the Pacific, north, west and southwest, the flag of H.B.C.
was carried far down the California coast. One new fur trading
establishment was planted by the Company at the Golden Gate San
Francisco Bay; another was erected at Umpqua, not many miles to the
northward.
Up to 1820 the only fur post on the Pacific coast between Sitka, Alaska,
and southern California was Fort George. This post had been first opened
by Astor of New York, but was taken over by H.B.C. at the time of the
amalgamation with the Nor'westers. Meanwhile it had been re-christened
"Fort George" by Captain Black of H.M.S. "Raccoon" in 1813.
From Fort William at the head of the Great Lakes came Dr. John
McLaughlin, James Douglas and John Work, ordered by the Company to Fort
George to take charge of the newly created Western Department of the
H.B.C. fur trade. Dr. McLaughlin was in charge, James Douglas was
accountant and John Work was what might be termed an explorer.
Dr. McLaughlin was a versatile man, but leaned towards the development
of farming and stockraising, while John Work's only interest was in fur
trading.
In 1824 they arrived at Fort George and at once mapped out plans for
development of their department.
It was decided to abandon Fort George because the farming possibilities
of the neighbourhood were not so promising as those of the country
further up the river. A new site was selected just below the Willamette
River, and the construction of Fort Vancouver (Washington) was
commenced.
At that time the whole territory was known as Oregon Territory. The
country was also known as Columbia District, and when the boundary line
between Canada and the United States was established, the part to the
north of the line was named British Columbia District, and still retains
this name in the Company's organization.
In order to stock the newly established farms, the Company sent men
south for sheep, cattle and horses, and I believe that it was on this
account that Posts were opened at Umpqua and San Francisco Bay in 1824
or 1825, and operated until 1832, when they were abandoned and there is
nothing in the records to indicate that the Hudson's Bay Company ever
afterwards claimed one foot of soil in or around San Francisco.
In fact, there is information that would make it appear that the San
Francisco Bay Post alone was closed in 1832 and Umpqua not until a later
date, as a letter written by Sir George Simpson to Captain J. Sheppard,
R.N., dated 28th May, 1849, mentions Umpqua as being still in existence.
Sir George said the names of Posts west of the mountains were at that
time:
_American Territory, South of 49°_
Fort Colville,
Flat Head House,
Fort Okanagan,
Fort Nez Perces,
Fort Bois,
Fort Hall,
Fort Vancouver,
Fort Umpqua,
Fort George,
Fort Nisqually,
Cowlitz Farm.
_British Territory, North of 49°_
Victoria,
Simpson,
Langley,
Hope,
Kamloops,
Thomson,
Alexandria,
George,
Fraser,
St. James,
Connolly,
Kilmaurs (Babine),
McLeod,
Chilcotin.
Europeans employed at these posts numbered six hundred, besides hundreds
of Indian laborers.
There were seven vessels employed in the service: